Bright and breezy ....

11th March 2026 (Wednesday)     09.45 .... It's a lovely, sunny with a frisky breeze, morning, after

some overnight rain.   It's a chilly 'frisky breeze', so a wrap up well morning for walking the dog(s).   I feel frisky this morning, but the colder air might keep me indoors.   I'll probably go out in the car later.    Blustery showers might pass over now and again but I'm hoping they miss us.  I've come to terms with the old pier being obliterated;  I'm  saddened, but not surprised;  it looked like a 'rickle o' stanes' and that was exactly what they needed!  

I have Part 3 of a programme about the native  New Zealand wildlife to watch on BBC2 this afternoon (15.30).   Part 3 is about the effect humans had on the native New Zealand wildlife.   Actually that brings back to me a memory of that first morning, having 'morning coffee outside om 'M's  (Margaret) patio.   The first thing I noticed (after  the coffee ans biccie) was how crystal clear the blue of the sky was;  it was like sitting under a blue crystal bowl.   The second thing was the Sparrows... as in our kind of Sparrows.   I then noticed that most of the garden birds were the same ones I would see back home in Fife!    Yes;  we colonists wanted to feel 'at home', and brought birds out from the UK to help with that feeling.  And introduced predators!   However, a small flock of Fantails (Native) appeared so we had a mix of garden birds; but heavily in favour of the UK ones.    It was out in the countryside that I would see the Native ones;  including the Tui.    Now that is a bird that we should all see, and  hear;   its is absolutely fantastic.

Where the old pier is now.

13.45    As you can see from the photographs I've been 'out and about' today.  Only in the car because it was too windy and cold to use 'The Buggy'.   I wanted to get some photies, from the Boat Wynd area, of the site of the former pier, and where it (the former pier') is now.    It was a bit windier than I expected, but I was well wrapped up, as there is a considerable windchill factor.  

I got the photographs, went back to the car;  then up to the turning point and back to Ivy for a well earned cuppa.... and rest.    Getting back to the car at Boat Wynd was hard work!   Actually I'll have to be more selective on when, and where I go, when I go out in future.    That said I'm glad that I went because the photies are just what I wanted.

That large dark rock at the bottom right corner of 'the heap' looks remarkably like the rock the Maggie's Granny (d 1956) sat on when she walked along the beach from Ivy Cottage.    The rock was affectionately known as "Granny' Seat".   It stood in the middle of the beach, between the old pier and the sea wall, and the perfect height for sitting on.   Maggie sat on  it many times when we were out with the dogs.

19.00    The series about New Zealand has been really interesting;  specially the one this afternoon,; 

Where the old pier used to be.

showing the devastating effect mankind had on New Zealand.   They are working hard now  to save the native species that remain, clearing the smaller islands of predators and using them as safe habitats for the native species.   The bit about the Moa brought back another memory.   We visited a cave, somewhere between Picton and Nelson;  a cave, like the cave on TV today that had Moa bones in it.  (Moa's would fall through a hole in the ground, into the cave below, and die).    Anyway I got to hold one of the leg bones of a Moa that had died in 'our' cave,.... and it was heavy;  as in much heavier than I expected it to be.   Amazing country is New Zealand.      

Today's photographs:  Top - looking towards Elie from Boat Wynd.   Middle - where the pier is being put to good use at least.;  and Bottom - site of old pier.

I only hope that Historic Environment Scotland (Historic Scotland as it was then), or St Andrews University, makes use of the photographs and measurements that the Archaeologist would do the time.  Otherwise we'll never know how old the old pier was.